


Christmas Magic

by GreenBird (lovestryker)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Christmas, Crack, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 20:46:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1199634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovestryker/pseuds/GreenBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen has spent his entire life at the North Pole, and when the opportunity to move to LA presents itself he jumps at the chance. He expected adventure. What he didn't count on was falling in love with his human neighbor, Jared.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Magic

“Uncle Kris, I’m ready for this.  You know I am, and you need someone set up down there before the holidays start-“

Kris laughed, cutting Jensen off.  “I know boy, I know.  The job is yours.”

Jensen’s mouth opened in shock as his green eyes widened with surprise.

“But…”

Jensen knew it.  He just knew there was going to be a catch.  “But what?” he asked suspiciously.

“But you’re the one who has to tell your Mom.”  Jensen kind of wished the _but_ had been just about anything else.

++

Jensen tromped through the snow, the hustle and bustle of Christmas Village ignored as he tried to find the right words to convince his mother that it was a good idea.  He would be going no matter what, he’d worked too hard for it to pass up the opportunity, but he’d rather do it with her blessing than not.

He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders before stepping inside his childhood home and slipping out of his snow gear. 

“Jensen honey, is that you?”

“Yeah ma, it’s me.”

“I’m in the living room dear.  Come join me.”

Jensen sat in his father’s arm chair, next to his mother and across from the fire. 

“Dad still at work?”

“Yes, he was meeting with one of the line supervisors about the productivity increase they’ll need to make soon.”

“Oh.”  Jensen started into the fire.  He was a grown man who shouldn’t be intimidated by his momma, but he dared anyone to be in his position and not be at least a little nervous.

“Jensen, honey, look at me.”

Jensen reluctantly lifted his gaze and was surprised to see a soft smile and a look of understanding on her face.

“I know why you’re here darling, and it’s okay.”

For the second time in an hour Jensen was at a loss for words.  “It is?”

“It is.  I mean, I’m not happy about you moving so far south, but I know what a big deal this is for you.”

“Wait, how did you know?”

“I had breakfast with Kris this morning and he told me.”

“What?” Jensen squeaked, and his mother laughed.  “He totally set me up!  He told me the job was mine on the condition that I told you I was leaving.”

“Come on, you had to have seen that coming.  You and Uncle Kris have been pranking each other since you were old enough to know what the word meant.”

Jensen shook his head and smiled, “He’s going to pay for this one!  But you’re really okay with it?”

She laid her hand on Jensen’s and gently squeezed, “I really am.  I know how hard you’ve worked for this.  I’ve watched you learn and grow so much over the last few years, and you deserve it.  Don’t get me wrong, like I said I’m not happy about the distance, but this has been your dream for so long now, and there’s no way I’d try to stand in the way of that.”

Jensen stood and pulled his mother into a fierce hug, “So will you help me pack?”

++

Jared Padalecki loved living in LA, he really did.  Almost all of the time, in fact.  Today was not one of those days.  It seemed like every little thing that could go wrong, had gone wrong.  His alarm didn’t go off, so he overslept; he realized that he was out of coffee and had forgotten to buy more; Jinx, his fifty pound lab/husky mix had puked all over his car on the way to work; he’d had two emergencies in the middle of the day; the x-ray machine had broken; and Tom, the guy he’d been seeing casually for a few weeks had called and canceled their date for the evening, and told him that he thought they should see other people.  He really wasn’t all that upset about  Tom; he’d known that it had been nothing serious, but added on top of all the other stuff it had pushed him to the edge, and then right on over.  All he wanted was to go home, shower, and sleep the weekend away.

He pulled into the driveway of the duplex he rented, and noticed that the ‘for rent’ sign was missing from the empty unit next to his.  It had sat empty for about two months, and Jared had gotten used to having the driveway and backyard all to himself.  The previous tenants had be a quiet, young couple who had moved to a bigger place when they found out they were expecting, and Jared hoped that he’d be as lucky with whomever his new neighbors turned out to be.

He fed Jinx and opened the patio doors to let her go in and out as she pleased while he took a long, hot shower.  He made a sandwich and grabbed a beer, and joined Jinx in the backyard.  He’d really lucked out with his view.  The house was build on top of a hill, and the back overlooked a ravine, with downtown LA spread out from the bottom of it.  After eating he played fetch with Jinx, and then went in to see what was waiting for him on his DVR.  He fell asleep on the couch, and when he woke up it was pitch black outside, and he was disoriented for a minute. 

Jinx was staring up at the ceiling, growling softly, and Jared realized that he’d been awoken by a noise, but he couldn’t place what it had been.  “What is it girl?”

He waited a minute, and when he didn’t hear anything else he started for his bedroom; sleeping on the couch all night would kill his back.  He brushed his teeth and was just about to crawl into bed when Jinx started barking, and he heard the noise again.  He still couldn’t place it.  He headed back out to the living room.  Jinx was growling and barking, the hair on her back standing up.  There was a muffled thud on the roof.  Why would someone be on the roof?  He slipped his shoes on when he heard what sounded like…Christmas bells?  What the hell?  The bells tinkled a second time, and Jinx immediately calmed.  She trotted over to Jared, licked his hand, then jumped up on the couch and went to sleep.

Jared hadn’t smoked weed since college, and he was positive he’d only had one beer with his dinner.  He quietly opened the door and stepped into the front yard.  Streetlights were evenly spaced down the block, and there was a security light in the back, so there was plenty of illumination to see if someone was on the roof.  He slowly made his way all around the duplex, but there was nothing there.    He made another circuit, this time in the opposite direction, but still nothing. 

“You’re losing it, Padalecki,” he said as he trudged back to bed.

++

“Shhhh, quiet!” Jensen hissed.

“Sorry, man.  You know we’re not used to this cloak and dagger stuff,” Hardison replied.

“You’re kidding, right?  All you do is cloak and dagger stuff,” Jensen shot back at a whisper. 

“Yeah, but the difference is that I give the directions for the cloak and dagger, I don’t actually do it myself.”

“Stop your damn arguing,” Eliot yelled from the bottom of the chimney, “And hurry up and get the stuff down here.  Parker is making me nervous.”

Jensen and Hardison shared a grin; Parker was _always_ making Eliot nervous.  Just then a dog started to bark in the unit next door.  All four froze, hoping that the dog would quickly settle down.  After more than a minute with no signs of stopping, Jensen pulled his pet bells out of his pocket and shook them.  Immediately the dog went quiet, and they thought they were in the clear.  They reached into the sleigh to get the last box to send down when they heard someone step outside from next door.

“Shields up,” Hardison whispered.  The shields would make it impossible for a human to see the four of them.  They were a fairly new invention of Hardison’s and Jensen knew that he’d been dying to try them out in the real world, not just his lab. 

Jensen, Hardison, Eliot, and Parker had grown up together in Christmas Village.  They’d all specialized in computer science after high school, and they’d been living together since graduation.  Jensen knew the three wouldn’t admit it, and he knew that they were going to miss him, but he also knew that they’d really enjoy having the place to themselves.  He’d walked in on enough awkward moments between the three of him to last a lifetime.  He figured that by the time this year’s holidays were over, they’d officially have become more than just friends. 

He wasn’t sure how it worked.  Parker was a leggy blond, with pale skin and a penchant for pocket picking.  She always returned whatever she took, but it still got her into trouble more often than not.  She was athletic, and always gave Eliot a run for his money when they joined the reindeer in their games. 

Eliot was broad and muscular, with shoulder length brown hair, and a permanent scowl.  He could intimidate just about anyone with just one glance.  He was a wizard in the kitchen, and had a knack for fixing things.  He had a hard exterior, but inside he was actually a big softie, especially when it came to kids.

Hardison was taller than Jensen, Parker, and Eliot, with dark skin and an affinity for infinity scarves.  He was the best computer programmer to ever work in the North Pole, a fact that both infuriated and impressed Jensen at the same time.

Jensen wasn’t sure _how_ it worked, just that it did work for them.  When he’d told them that he wanted to leave the North Pole and set up shop somewhere warm, he’d kind of thought that they’d want to go with him, but they’d quickly avowed him of that notion.  Looking at the situation now, Jensen was relieved.  He was going to miss them like crazy, but he was ready for his own adventure.

They heard the door next door open and close, and Hardison lowered the shields.  “Man, I am a fricken genius!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jensen groused.  “Let’s just finish.”

They sent the last box down, and then dropped down themselves, making sure to keep quiet.  The boxes were labeled by room, and they put each box in its place before carefully opening them.  The elves had packed them for Jensen, so all he had to do was open them up, and they unpacked themselves.  Within ten minutes Jensen was fully moved into his new home.

They only boxes the elves hadn’t enchanted to unpack themselves were the ones containing all of the electronic equipment that Jensen would need for his new job.  The four hauled those downstairs and got to work.

“I can’t believe Santa is letting you do this all on your own,” Eliot said once they were finished.  “Doesn’t he know that you’re nothing without us?”

Jensen punched him playfully in the arm, “You’re such an ass; I’m going to miss you, too.”  The four exchanged hugs and goodbyes, and it was with a sense of both loss and anticipation that Jensen watched them disappear up the chimney.

He wandered from room to room, moving a few things around, making a list of things he’d need to get.  Then he went downstairs and took in his new workspace.  He was so proud of himself.  He sat down and called his Uncle Kris, giving him an update, and letting him know that the southwestern corner of the United States would soon have its own S.E.C.R.E.T. (Santa’s Elves Child/RADAR/Electronic Tracking) Station up and running.

Jensen would be responsible for obtaining, prioritizing, monitoring, and communication of all things Christmas related, from children’s wish lists, to NORAD tracking, to weather patterns, and even the coordination of the local Mall Santa’s Guild.  It was a big job, and Jensen was honored that his Uncle Kris had entrusted him with it.

The sun was just peaking over the mountains when Jensen fell into bed, a smile on his lips.

++

Jared stretched and yawned, happy that it was Saturday and he’d been able to sleep in a bit.  He thought back to the night before as he got Jinx ready for their morning run.  He must have been dreaming, or maybe listening to the t.v. while he was half asleep.  Thumps on the roof, and bells that put his dog to sleep?  He really needed the day off.

He and Jinx stepped outside into the early morning sunshine, and Jared was immediately hit with the smell of…sugar cookies?  He walked out into the driveway, and slowly turned to look back at the duplex.  Someone had moved in next door.  There was a huge potted poinsettia plant sitting next to the front door.  The front door which was now red, instead of the typical factory white, and there were curtains in the windows.  He cautiously walked toward the front windows and peered inside.  He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.  His eyes practically popped out of their sockets as he peered inside and noticed that not only had someone moved in, but they’d completely unpacked and decorated.  That could not be possible.  There had been no one there when he’d walked around the house in the middle of the night, and he hadn’t heard a thing since then.  It’s was eight in the morning, and there wasn’t a moving truck or a car anywhere to be seen.  So someone had completely moved in and decorated in six hours.  And why did the house smell like sugar cookies?

Jared was brought out of his daze by Jinx, who was more than ready for the run she’d been promised.  He set off down the driveway wondering just who his new neighbor could be.

++

Jensen’s grumbling stomach woke him up just after noon.  His mom had packed up several boxes to stock his kitchen, and he headed downstairs to see what he could put together for lunch.  He got a box of Lucky Charms out of the cupboard and the chocolate milk out of the fridge.  He made himself a dish and walked to the patio doors that opened out onto the backyard. 

There was a fairly large dog running around, her black fur gleaming in the sun.  She seemed to sense Jensen’s presence and ran up to his door.  Jensen grinned; all fae had a way with animals.  Humans thought that all the elves who worked at the North Pole were short with pointy ears, but they were only half right.  Those elves were very well respected, and held important jobs in toy and Christmas cooking development.  There rest of the North Pole population was composed of fae like Jensen, most of whom could pass as humans.  Their magic wasn’t as powerful as that of the elves, but they did have some, and also had a way with plants and animals.

The dog sat and stared at Jensen through the patio door, her tail swishing against the cement.  _Hey girl, what’s your name?_

The dog tilted her head to the side and barked, _Jinx._

_Well hi there, Jinx.  I’m Jensen._

The dog’s tail became a blur and she grinned happily at him.  Jensen sat his empty bowl on the counter and stepped outside.  The dog immediately rolled onto her back for belly rubs, which Jensen happily supplied.

“Jinx, did you find a friend?”

Jensen glanced up, and up, and up some more before locking eyes with the most handsome human he’d ever seen.  The guy had shoulder length, floppy brown hair, hazel eyes, and a wide smile framed by dimples. 

Jensen quickly straightened up and held out his hand, “Hi!  I’m Jensen.”

Jared shook his hand, “Jared, and I see you’ve already met Jinx,” he paused and sniffed the air, “Do you smell gingerbread?”

Jensen’s cheeks went pink, “Maybe?  I assume you’re my neighbor?”

“Yep, and I’ve gotta ask: when did you move in?”

“Oh, last night.  I’m sorry if I disturbed you.”

Jared looked confused, “No, I just…you must have moved in really quickly.  I thought, well, never mind.”

“So, are you new to town, Jensen?”

Jensen knew that he had to be careful.  He’d had little to no contact with humans, and it was imperative that he didn’t give away his secret.  “Yes.  Are you from around here?”

“I was born and raised in Texas, but I’ve lived in LA for years.  Where did you move from?”

“The North, um, I mean, northern Canada.  Northern Canada.”

Jared let out a low whistle that had Jinx jumping to her feet and looking at him for attention.  “That’s a big move, man.  LA is going to be a huge adjustment.”

“I know, isn’t it great?” Jensen replied enthusiastically.  “There’s so much I want to see and do!”

Jared laughed a little at his exuberance, “Well, if you need a tour guide, just let me know.”

Jensen’s eyes widened with hope, “Really?”

Jared had actually kind of meant it rhetorically, but the hopefulness written on Jensen’s face was hard to resist, “Sure, why not?”  Jensen smiled and Jared noticed that he had crinkles at the corner of his eyes and an adorable smattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks.  His ears were just a little pointy, which was kind of weird, but also a little endearing.  No, being tour guide wouldn’t be a problem at all.

“Oh, thank you!”

“You’re welcome.  Why don’t you make a list and come over for dinner tonight so we can make a plan.  Would that work?”

“Yes!  That would be great.  Six?”

“I’ll see you then, Jensen,” Jared said as he turned to walk back to his place.  Jensen turned to own door, Jinx right behind him.

“Jinx!  Get over here girl.”  Jinx looked up at Jensen longingly, and then slowly made her way to Jared.  “I guess she really likes you.”

Jensen smiled and waved before he stepped inside.

Jared looked down at Jinx and muttered, ‘traitor’ under his breath as he closed the door behind him.  Jinx’ reaction was a little odd.  She was a friendly dog, but she was a rescue, and she was usually a little hesitant around strangers.  Plus, he was sure that Jensen had smelled like gingerbread, and when Jared had agreed to be his tour guide, he could have sworn that green of Jensen’s eyes got a little brighter. 

He pulled some steaks out of the freezer to thaw.  Strange or not, he was looking forward to getting to know his neighbor.

++

Jensen couldn’t believe that Jared had agreed to show him around the city.  He was excited to explore his new home, but he was also intimidated.  He’d watched the news and done his research, and he knew that LA was going to be a huge culture shock.  He distractedly pulled out the ingredients for sugar cookies as he compiled in his head the list of places that he wanted to visit.  Baking was second nature to him, and it always helped him focus.  Plus, he knew that he shouldn’t show up to dinner empty handed.

++

Jensen knocked on Jared’s patio door at exactly six o’clock.  Jinx jumped up against the glass, tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth.  _Jensen!  Jensen!_

Jared gently shoved Jinx out of the way with his hip so he could open the door.  Before he could say anything, Jensen thrust a covered plate into his hands.

“What’s this?” Jared asked as he led Jensen into the house.

“Oh, I thought I should bring something for dinner,” Jensen said distractedly.  He was busy taking in every detail of Jared’s kitchen and dining area.  It was the first time that he’d ever been in a human’s home, and he was surprised to find that it was kind of boring.  Nice, but boring.

Jared pulled the tin foil from the plate to find a mound of decorated Christmas cookies.  Santas, bells, ornaments, reindeer all looking like they’d been frosted by a professional.  In fact, Jared didn’t think he’d ever seen cookies as gorgeous and as detailed as these.

Jared looked at Jensen, a little bemused, “You brought Christmas cookies for dinner?”

Jensen’s grin dimmed a little, “You don’t like Christmas cookies?”

“Oh, no I love Christmas cookies!  I just was surprised, that’s all.  I usually only eat Christmas cookies, well, around Christmas actually.  You made these yourself?”

“Baking helps me think, and there’s no reason not to have cookies whenever you want.  My Uncle Kris has them every day for breakfast.”  Jensen clamped his jaw shut, and his cheeks and the pointy tips of his ears went pink.  He had to remember to be careful about what he said.

“Okay…” Jared trailed off.

Jensen pulled out and unfolded a piece of paper from his back pocket, waving it in the air at Jared, “I have my list of places I want to visit,” he said, hoping to distract Jared.  He was going to have to do some more research on human customs.

“Great, let me get our plates put together and we can go over it while we eat.”

“Can I do anything to help?”

“Nah, just have a seat,” Jared said, pointing to the round wooden table.

Jensen sat down, and Jinx laid at his feet.  “She really isn’t usually so relaxed around strangers,” Jared said as he dished up food.

Jensen patted the dog on her head, “I’ve been told that I have a way with animals.”

Jared sat a heaping plate in front of Jensen, and then grabbed two beers from the fridge before taking his seat.

Jensen looked at his plate, then the beer bottle, and then at Jared, then back at his own plate. 

“Is everything okay?  Crap, are you a vegetarian?”

“What?  No, not really.”

“Not really?”

“Well, my family eats meat sometimes, but it’s mostly fish.  This is beef, right?”  Jensen asked as he gestured to his plate.  “And a baked potato with butter, and…whipped cream?”

That startled a laugh from Jared.  “No, that’s sour cream.”

Jensen made a face, “Why would you eat cream that’s gone sour?”

Jared started to laugh, but when he realized that Jensen was serious, he stopped.  “You’ve never had sour cream?”

Jensen looked repulsed.

“Okay…so, you’ve never had steak or sour cream, that’s what you’re saying?”

Jensen nodded in agreement.  “Well, then how about beer?” Jared asked, indicating the bottle in front of Jensen.

“Root beer?” Jensen asked with a smile, “I love root beer,” he said eagerly as he lifted the bottle to his lips.

“No, Jensen!  It’s not root-“

Jensen spluttered and choked, and beer ran down his chin and onto his shirt.

“-beer,” said Jared helplessly.

“What is wrong with that?” Jensen asked with a look of disgust on his face.  He glanced down at Jinx, who was sitting at his feet, “and don’t you laugh at me!”

Jared didn’t know what to do or think.  On one hand Jensen looked absolutely adorable, but at the same time, his reactions were very strange.  “Just how far north in Canada are you from?” he asked slowly.

Jensen suddenly went from looking outraged to mortified, “Very far north.  Practically…practically the North Pole.”

“Well, let’s start this over, okay?  Do you want a dry shirt?”

Jensen was dabbing at his shirt with a napkin.  “No, that’s okay.  It’s not that much.”

“You’re not a fan of the beer, obviously.  What do you like to drink?”

“Something sweet.  I like root beer.”

“I’m afraid that I don’t have any root beer, or any soda for that matter.  I think that I have some Regale Brachetto from when my sister was here.  Hold on a second.”  Jared returned with a half full bottle of wine and a wine glass.  He poured a small bit in the glass and handed it to Jensen, “Try this.  But, take it slow, just a small sip.”

Jensen looked at the red wine apprehensively.  He sniffed at the glass, and then took a small slip, then a bigger, then a bigger. 

“Good?” Jared asked with a grin.

Jensen took another drink.  The wine was sweet, and it made him feel pleasantly warm inside.

“You’d better slow down there,” Jared said, and Jensen reluctantly set his glass on the table.

“Okay, next we have steak.  I grilled it with my momma’s secret seasoning.”

Jared cut off a small piece of meat and popped it in his mouth, and Jensen followed suit.  His eyes widened in surprise.  The meat was smoky and tangy, and he quickly took another bite.

“And next to that we have a baked potato with butter and sour cream.”  Jensen looked a little dubious, but once again followed Jared by taking a bite. 

“This is good!” he said in amazement.  “There’s nothing sour about it!”

Jared laughed and watched as Jensen practically devoured his dinner, letting out appreciative moans as he worked his way through the food.  Jared had to tear his eyes away from the sight of the food disappearing before Jensen’s absurdly attractive lips and block out the nearly pornographic sounds.  If he’d thought Jensen was attractive before, there was no doubt about it now.

Jensen was about half way through his steak when he asked, “Do you have any sugar?  I’ll bet this steak would be even better with some sugar.”

++

Jensen helped Jared clean up after dinner, and they each grabbed a cookie and went into the back yard with Jinx.  They sat in Jared’s lounge chairs, and after Jensen polished off his cookies he threw a tennis ball for Jinx.

Jared watched for a few minutes before taking a bit of his own cookie, “Holy shit!  This is amazing!  You made these?”

Jensen blushed at the praise and nodded his head.

“These are even better than the ones my grandma makes, but don’t ever tell her I said that.”

Jensen laughed, and threw the ball across the yard again.

“What do you do, Jensen?  Did you move here for a job?”

“Yes, actually,” Jensen was glad that Hardison had made him figure out the answer to that particular question in advance.  “My boss needed to set up a branch here, and I was lucky enough to get the job.”

“What kind of job?”

“Computer stuff.  He’s into exports and distribution, and my job is to keep things running smoothly for this part of the country.  I work from home, set my own hours.  Spring and summer are our slowest quarters, so I’ll have time to explore LA before it gets busy again.  What do you do?”

“I’m a veterinarian.”

“Really?  That is so cool!  I always loved to help take care of the baby reindeer back home.”

“Reindeer?  You really did live up north, didn’t you?  Maybe at the North Pole?” Jared teased.

Jensen’s face went white, and he stammered, “No, no, no not the North Pole.  That would be ridiculous!”

“Whoa man, I was just kidding.”

“Yeah, yeah, so was I.  So tell me about your job,” Jensen said, trying to change the subject.

“I work in a companion animal hospital.  We work closely with area shelters and rescues, and I’m in charge of all of the patients we see from those.  There are three other doctors who see patients from our regular clients, and then a part time doctor who helps me out when I need it.”

“That must be very rewarding.”

“It is.  It can be stressful; some of the animals I see aren’t in the best of health, but mostly I see the ones who are going to a foster or permanent home.  It keeps me busy, but I love it.  That’s where I got my girl.  She was brought in to be checked over before being placed with a foster family.  She was very small for her age, and had been horribly neglected, but as soon as I saw her I knew that she was mine.”

Jensen smiled, “That’s really nice.  I think that I’d like to have a dog.  Or a cat.  Maybe both?  I don’t know.”

“You let me know when you’re ready and I can help you with that.”

“Thanks.”

It was getting dark out, and Jensen excused himself to head back home.

“Thanks for dinner, Jared.”

“You’re welcome.  I’ll look over your list and maybe we can visit one of the places on it tomorrow.”

Once again Jinx tried to follow Jensen home.  Jared was left standing in the dark, coaxing his dog back to him and wondering once again just who his neighbor really was.

++

Saturday was a bright and beautiful Southern Californian morning.  Jared poured himself a cup of coffee and stepped into the backyard with Jinx.  After she took care of her business she ran directly to Jensen’s patio door and scratched to be let in.  It wasn’t even twenty seconds before the door opened and Jensen stepped outside.  He smiled at Jared and bent down to scratch Jinx.

“I was just making breakfast if you’d like to join me,” he said as he straightened back up.

Jared followed Jensen and Jinx into Jensen’s kitchen and stopped short.  The kitchen was…Jared wasn’t sure he could put words to it.  The walls were painted a bright red, while the cabinets were a pine green.  Brightly colored throw rugs covered much of the floor, while the walls were covered with framed photos of winter landscapes, and the air was filled with the scent of chocolate.

“Wow,” Jared said slowly.  “Your place is…bright?”

“I know, isn’t it great?” Jensen said as he looked around proudly.  “I could help you decorate your place if you’d like.  It doesn’t look like you’ve had much time to do it yourself.”

Jared laughed.  He’d actually thought that he’d gone a bit overboard with the decorating, “Maybe.”

Jensen grinned brightly at him as he picked up a mixing bowl and started stirring the batter inside.  “I’m making my Mom’s famous chocolate chip pancakes.”

“They smell delicious.”

“What?  You won’t be able to smell them until they start cooking,” Jensen said with a confused look.

“Oh.  It smells like chocolate in here, I thought…never mind.  Do you have any coffee?” Jared asked as he tipped his empty mug toward Jensen.

“No, sorry, but there’s hot chocolate in the carafe.” 

Jared rinsed out his cup and filled it with hot chocolate, assuming that that was the origin of the scent filling the air.  “Can I help with anything?”

Jensen glanced over his shoulder as he deftly flipped pancakes on the griddle.  “You can grab the syrup from the fridge.”

Jared opened the door to the refrigerator and his jaw dropped open.  The fridge was full, but the contents were nothing like what Jared had expected.  The top shelf of the door held bottle after bottle of syrup, from maple, to fruit, to chocolate.  The shelf under that held liters of fruit punch and soda.  The main part of the fridge had cartons of eggs, two gallons of milk, bowls of what looked to be cookie dough, whipped topping, Jell-O molds, pudding, and fruit.  Jared carefully opened the freezer and found ice cream: tubs, sandwiches, bars, and cones.  There were also several different kinds of popsicles.  He had never seen a fridge like it.

He slowly turned around and watched as Jensen finished piling a huge stack of pancakes on a serving platter.  “Uh, Jensen?”

Jensen turned, “Yeah?  Can’t you find the syrup?”  He took in Jared’s bewildered expression, “Is everything okay?”

“I just...everything’s fine,” Jared said, giving his head a slight shake.  “I just wondered what kind of syrup you’d like.”

Jensen thought for a moment, “I think I’ll take the maple, chocolate, and peanut butter.”

“Okay,” Jared said in a strangled voice.

He grabbed the three bottles of syrup and followed Jensen to the table.  Jensen pushed the platter toward Jared, and Jared took three pancakes.

“Is that all you want?  Did you already eat breakfast?” Jensen said as he put three times that amount on his own plate.  He then covered them in huge amounts of all three syrups and took a huge bite, as Jared watched in amazement.

“No.  I just, I guess I’m not that hungry?”  He drizzled a little maple syrup on his own pancakes and took a small bite; his eyes widened in amazement.  “These are incredible!”

Jensen blushed at the praise, “Thanks.  My Mom’s are better, but I don’t think these turned out too badly.”

They cleaned up the kitchen together, and Jared was sure that Jensen was humming Christmas songs under his breath.

“I read your list last night.  Is there anywhere you’d like to start?”

“The beach.  I want to see the ocean.  If that’s okay with you, that is.”

“Sure, Jinx loves to swim, and I don’t take her often enough.  Grab your stuff and I’ll meet you at my car in fifteen minutes, okay?”

++

An hour later they pulled into a small parking lot near the ocean.  Jensen took a deep breath, and slowly relaxed his muscles.  He would take sleigh rides over car rides any day.  “Do people always drive like that?”

“Yeah, but you’ll get used to it.”

Jensen looked skeptical, but didn’t say anything.  They spent the afternoon playing in the water and the sand, and Jared couldn’t think of a time when he’d had more fun at the beach.

++

As the summer progressed, Jared and Jensen spent more and more time together.  They met in the backyard each morning, Jared with his coffee, and Jensen with his hot chocolate.  On the days that Jinx didn’t go to work with Jared, she spent the day with Jensen always coming home smelling of gingerbread, or cookies.  Jared had made sure that Jensen wasn’t feeding her sweets, but Jensen had insisted that he wasn’t.

They shared most of their evening meals, Jared providing the meal, and Jensen the dessert.  On the weekends they slowly worked their way through Jensen’s list, from Disney Land (not the happiest place on Earth according to Jensen), to the zoo, to studio tours.  Jared had just as much fun watching Jensen, as Jensen did experiencing it all for the first time.

Jared knew that he was falling for Jensen, and he was pretty sure that Jensen felt the same, but he held off on taking things further.  There was just something not quite right about Jensen, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.  It wasn’t really even anything bad; it was a string of unusual reactions and behaviors that Jared couldn’t explain, so he did the thing he always did when he needed help.  He made a list.

++

Things about Jensen that are weird

He always smells like baked goods  
Sometimes it seems like he’s talking to Jinx.  Like _really_ talking to her.  
Seems to live off of sugar  
House is decorated like a tacky Christmas display  
Pointy ears  
A lot of his reactions to things seem like he’s copying something he heard on t.v.  
Always humming Christmas songs  
Really smart, but doesn’t seem to have any ‘real world’ experiences  
Doesn’t get popular references

Jared reread his list.  It made _him_ sound like the weird one, not Jensen.  When he read the list a third time it sounded like he was thinking of dating a Christmas elf.  He ripped the list in half, wadded it up, and threw it in the trash, and went to see his last patient of the day.

Jinx had stayed with Jensen that day, and typically on those days Jared would go home and shower first, then head next door.  Today though, he didn’t want to wait.  He rang Jensen’s doorbell and waited impatiently.  After about ten seconds he pushed the button again, and then again.  He knew Jensen was probably working in his basement office and that it would take him a minute to get upstairs, but he didn’t feel like he could wait another second.

Jensen pulled the door open.  He was slightly out of breath and looked a little alarmed, “Jared?  What is it?  What’s wro-“

Jared cut him off by pulling him in for a (peppermint flavored) kiss.  It was just a quick press of lips, over almost before it began. Jinx jumped around their feet, wanting to be a part of what was going on.

Jensen reached up and traced his lips with his fingers, a small, bewildered smile on his face.  “Jared?”

“Hi.  Hi, Jensen.  Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Jensen laughed, “Jared, we have dinner together almost every night, you don’t need to ask.”

“No, I mean will you have dinner with me tonight.  Like a date.  Would you go out with me on a date?”

Jensen’s eyes widened in surprise, and then a brilliant grin spread across his face, “Yes.”

Jared cheeks pinked a bit with just how _unsmooth_ he’d been with that invitation.  Still, he had a date with Jensen so he couldn’t feel too badly.  “Okay, great.  Great.  I’m going to go take a shower.  I’ll be back to get you in an hour.”

++

One date turned into two, which turned into three, and then four, and then Jensen and Jared weren’t only neighbors, but boyfriends.  Jensen had never had a boyfriend before, and he’d only been on a few dates, but he didn’t think that it was supposed to be so easy.  He and Jared fit together so well, and he’d never been happier.  That was really saying something, since he’d grown up in Christmas Village, which was truly the happiest place on Earth, no matter what Mickey Mouse said.

There was only one thing wrong, and that was the fact that Jensen couldn’t be totally honest with Jared about who he was.  He’d Skyped with Eliot about it, which hadn’t really been all that helpful.  He’d thought about calling his Mom and Dad, but he was afraid that they’d try to talk him out of dating a human, and he was too far gone for Jared to give him up.

++

Before long summer was over and the holidays were approaching, which meant Jensen was getting busier and busier.  Luckily, Jared was also busy with work, so Jensen didn’t have to make a lot of excuses.  Jared flew home to Texas for Thanksgiving.  He’d tried to get Jensen to go with him, but there was just no way Jensen could take that much time away from S.E.C.R.E.T.  It was his first Christmas working for his Uncle Kris and he wanted to do the best job he could.

Jared called him from his childhood bedroom Thanksgiving night.  “Are you still working?”

Jensen sighed, “Yeah, just a little longer.  I have a few more kid-, I mean accounts I want to get through.”

“You’re working too hard; you need to relax a little.  I wish you’d come home with me.  No one believes that I have a super hot boyfriend back in LA.  They all think I’m making you up!”

Jensen laughed, “Super hot?”

“Sure, focus on that and not my pain.  You’re a terrible boyfriend!”

They chatted a few more minutes before saying good night.  Jensen went upstairs and let Jinx out for a few minutes, before fixing himself a plate of cookies and grabbing a glass of milk, intending to go downstairs to work for a few more hours.  There was a soft thunk on his roof, and he stepped into the living room in front of the fireplace just in time to greet his Mom and Dad.

“What are you two doing here?” Jensen asked with a pleased smile as he hugged them both.

“Eliot came to visit us.”  Jensen groaned.  “No, honey, it’s okay.  Why don’t you show us around your place and then we can talk.”

Jensen introduced his parents to Jinx, and showed them around before retiring to the living room, with the plate of cookies and a glass of milk for each of them.

“So, what did Eliot tell you?” Jensen asked with resignation.

His parents shared a look, communicating with each other without saying a word.  Jensen had always envied their relationship, and hoped to someday have one that was even half as close as theirs.  He thought that he could have that with Jared, if only Jared wasn’t human.

“He told us that you’d met someone, but not a lot more.  He just suggested that we come visit you and find out for ourselves.  So, tell us about this boy.”

Jensen couldn’t help but smile when he thought about his boyfriend, “His name is Jared and he’s amazing.  He’s a veterinarian, and he’s smart and funny.”  Jinx barked, and Jensen laughed, “Yes, he’s really tall, too, and he’s a good daddy to Jinx here.”

“Then what’s the problem, son?” his Dad asked.

“He’s human, Dad.  That seems like a pretty big problem to me.”

His parents shared another one of their looks, before his Mom turned to them, “Honey, we have something to tell you, something that I think will help.”  She reached over and took his Dad’s hand,  “When I was your age I convinced your grandparents to let me go to culinary school in Chicago.”

“You did?” Jensen was stunned.  He’d had no idea that his Mom had ever lived in the human world.

“Yes.  It was a hard sell.  I think that they relented just to shut me up.  Anyway, it was an eighteen month course, and when I wasn’t in school I was busy exploring the city.  I was fascinated with the aquarium, and I tried to visit at least every couple of weeks.  The penguins there were hilarious,” she smiled at the memory.  “Anyway, one time when I was there I met a human.  We wound up sitting next to each other during the porpoise show, and after we started talking.”

“We talked until they kicked us out because they were closing, and I asked her if she’d like to get some dinner with me,” his Dad finished.

“Wait, what?” Jensen asked with confusion.  He’d never given a thought to how his parents had gotten together.  “What are you saying?”

“What we’re saying honey, is that falling in love with a human doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”

Jensen was shocked, and he didn’t know what to think.  He took a drink of milk just to stall for a minute.  He looked from his mother to his father, “Are you saying that you’re a human?  That doesn’t make any sense.  You’re _not_ a human.”

“No, I’m not.  Not any more.”

“That’s not possible,” Jensen whispered.

“It is.  You know that Christmas magic can make anything possible.  When you combine that with true love…well, as sappy as it sounds anything is possible.  Your father was human, now he’s not.”

“Why haven’t you ever told me this before?”

“We weren’t trying to deceive you, Jensen.  It just didn’t seem important; your father isn’t a human any more.  You’re the only fae since me to want to leave Christmas Village, so talking about falling in love with a human just wasn’t something anyone ever gave much thought about.”

Jensen didn’t know whether to be angry or hopeful, but looking at his parents and seeing not only how much they loved each other, but how much they loved him, he decided to be hopeful.  “So, how does it work?  I’ve never heard anything about changing a human.”

“It’s actually very simple.  The only thing you need is to find your soul mate.  Humans usually find theirs with other humans, and fairies with other fairies, but on a few very rare occasions a human and a fairy find theirs in each other.  When that happens, when they fall in love and commit to each other, the human slowly takes on the characteristic of the fae until they become one themselves.”

Jensen was stunned.  The idea that he could be with Jared and be completely truthful with him was almost too much to comprehend.  “But how do I know?  How do I know if Jared is my soul mate?”

His mother reached over and clasped his hand.  “You’ll know.  You’ll feel it.  In fact, I think that you feel it already.”

++

The month of December was busy for Jared, but it was even busier for Jensen, and Jared didn’t see much of him.  When he did, Jensen was in turns distracted, distant, and a little clingy.  Jared wasn’t sure what to make of it, and he was afraid that he was losing his boyfriend.  He tried to ask Jensen about it, but Jensen always evaded the question somehow. 

The closer it got to Christmas, the busier Jensen got until Jared was lucky to even eat dinner with him.  Two days before Christmas Jared had reached his breaking point.

“Jensen please.  Please just talk to me.  If you want to break up with me just tell me.”

Jensen’s face paled and he crossed the kitchen, taking Jared’s face gently between his hands.  “I absolutely do not want to break up with you.  I love you, Jared.  I love you so much.  I know that the past few weeks have been difficult.  If you can just give me until Christmas day, I promise you that I’ll explain.  I’ll explain everything.”

“I love you too,” Jared whispered.  It was the first time they’d said it, and Jared was immediately flooded with relief.  “Your eyes are doing that thing.”

“What?  What thing?”

Jared laughed a little, “I don’t know.  It’s just, sometimes they kind of…sparkle?”

Jensen took a step back, “I think that you need a nap.  My eyes don’t sparkle.”

“So, can you just give me a couple more days?  Please?”

“Yeah,” Jared said with a smile.  “I can do that.”

++

Christmas morning dawned bright and clear.  Jensen had been up for almost 48 hours straight, but Christmas in his region had gone over without a hitch, and even though he was exhausted, he was on a high from a job well done, and the prospect of sharing his secret with his boyfriend.

He bounded up the stairs to Jared’s bedroom, Jinx hot on his heels.  Jared was sprawled across the bed, sound asleep.  Jensen looked at his boyfriend.  His Mom had been right; he did know.  He and Jared were meant to be together.

“Merry Christmas, sleepy head!”  He dropped a quick kiss on Jared’s lips.  “Shower, get dressed, and meet me downstairs.”  He hardly waited for Jared’s response before he was dashing back down the stairs and over to his place to take his own shower.

He was back and waiting on the couch when Jared made his way down the stairs.  Jensen patted the seat next to him.  Jared sat down, absently reached down to pat Jinx on the head while grinning nervously at his boyfriend.

“So, today’s the day, huh?  The big reveal?”

Jensen swallowed down his nerves.  He’d been so busy that he hadn’t had time to be apprehensive about telling Jared the truth.  “Yeah.  Today’s the day.”

They grinned stupidly at each other for a few seconds before Jinx barked at them, breaking the spell.

Jensen looked down at her fondly.  _Okay, I’ll get on with it._

“Sometimes I swear that you two are talking to each other,” Jared said with a laugh.

“You’re actually not all that far off.”

“What?”

Jensen stood and paced the length of the couch a couple of times before squaring his shoulders and turning to fully face Jared.  “What I’m about to tell you is going to be very hard to believe.  Just promise me that you’ll hear me out, not matter what you think about what I tell you, okay?”

Jared nodded, “You’re kind of scaring me.”

“I promise it’s nothing bad.  At least I don’t think you’ll see it that way.  Anyway, I told you that I’m from way up north, but that’s not the whole truth.  I am from way up north, but I’m not from Canada.  I’m from the North Pole.  Christmas Village to be exact.”

“Yeah, right,” Jared scoffed.

“You said you’d hear me out.”

“Okay,” Jared said, “Go on.”

“You know that most myths and urban legends are based in truth.  Santa Clause is no different.”

“Santa Clause?  What?”

“You’ve said before that my eyes sparkle.  You’re right, they do.  I’ve had to try really hard to keep it under control when I’m with you.  With any humans, actually.  I’m getting ahead of myself.  You know how the stories about the North Pole talk about elves?  Little people who make the toys?”

Jared nodded slowly.

“Well, that’s partly true, but that’s only part of the story.  There are also fae people who live and work there.  Fairies who look almost human.  I told you that I was working for my uncle in distribution and exports, and that’s true.  It’s just that my uncle, my Uncle Kris, you know him by another name.”

“Oh no, don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

“Santa Claus.”

“Jensen, this isn’t funny.”

“I’m not joking.  I know this is a lot to take in-“

“You think?” Jared interrupted.

“But I can prove it.  Just answer one question for me first.  Do you love me?”

Jared looked at Jensen for a long moment, and Jensen held his breath while he waited for the answer.  “Yes.  I think that you’re insane, but I do love you.”

Jensen grinned in relief, and handed Jared a red box tied with a bright green bow.  “Remember how I insisted that we not decorate your place for Christmas?” 

Jared nodded.

“This is why.  Open it, and then set it on the coffee table.”

Jared looked at the box.  It about five inches by five inches, and didn’t weight more than a pound.  He slowly untied the bow and lifted the lid before setting it down.  There was a flash and a shower of glitter and in less than thirty seconds his entire living room had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland, complete with tree and mistletoe.

He stared at Jensen in shock.  “What the hell?”

“Remember how confused you were about how quickly I moved in?”  Jensen smiled smugly before tipping his head toward the unwrapped gift on the table, “Enchanted boxes.”

Jared stood up and turned in a circle, taking in the decorations, fake snow, and presents, before turning back to Jensen with a smile that rivaled the lights on the tree.  “I knew your ears were too pointy to be human!”

Jensen gave an indignant grunt that quickly turned into a contented sigh as Jared pulled him into his arms, and whispered in his ear, “We’re under the mistletoe.”

It was the best Christmas that Jensen had ever had.

 

 


End file.
